Refrigerator-door construction



Dec. 27, 1927.

R. A. RIEK REFRIGERATOR DOOR CONSTRUCTION Filed March 28, 1927 II1/wanton jzzagvzjze Stimm-11,4.

Patented Dec. 27, 1.927.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.v

BEBIGERATOB-DOOR CONSTRUCTION.

Application led March 28, 1927. Serial No. 179,049.

This invention relates to a door construction designed primarily for usein connection with refrigerators and the casings of refrigerating units.

6 yOne of the objects of the invention is to- 'provide a structurewherein the outer and inner surfaces can be formed of sheet metal bentto proper shape utilizin novel means for holding the same assem led withthe frame of the door. Heretofore doors'of this type have been v madewith one-piece porcelained metal hnings but it has been necessary toutilize fastening meanskfor theI linings which have been exposed to viewand consequently have detracted from the appearance of the door.

It is an object of this invention to provide lining retaining meanswhich do not detract from the appearance but permit the formation of adoor having a smooth inner surface free of objectionable projectionssuch as screw heads and the like.y

Another object is to provide a one-piece porcelained metal lining whichcan be easily assembled with the frame -of the door, the means employedfor holding it in position being so constructed as to take care of anybuckling of the metal that might result from. the intense heat to whichit is subjected 30' during the porcelaining operation.

c With the foregoing and other objects.l in view which will appear asthe description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination andarrangement of parts and inv the details of construction hereinafterdescribed and claimed, it being understood Y that changes. in theprecise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed may be'made withinthe scope of what is claimed, without departing from the spirit of theinvention.

In the accompanyingvdrawings the preferred form of the invention hasbeen shown. In said drawings, v Figure 1 is an elevation of the innersurface of a door constructed in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 2 is a section on line 2 2, Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a section on lined-3, Figure 1.

Referring to the figures by characters of 5@ reference 1 designates asheet metal pan constituting the outer or front surface of the door,this pan being formed in one piece and provided along its edges withbackwardly extended portions 2 from which a continuous unbroken flange 3extends inwardly. Seated within the pan is a frame made up of sidestrips 4 and end strips 5 and 6. The ends of the strips are beveled soas to contact when the strips are assembled in the pan and the outeredges of all of the strips are formed of longitudinal beads 7 so shapedas to fit snugly against the baclrturned portions 2 and in lappedrelation with the ianges 3. The several strips are adapted to beassembled by first tilting them so as to insert the beads 7 lintoengagement with the flanges 3 and thereafter fiattening out the stripsso as to rest snugly upon the inner surface of the pan l and with theends of the strips in contact. Thereafter a backing 8 formed pref#erably of wood, liber board Aor any other suitable material is insertedinto the space surrounded by the strips 4, 5 and 6 so as to *fit snuglyagainst them and flush with the frame. y

v The strips 4 and 5 are provided with beveled shoulders 9 extendinginwardly beyond the beads 7 and flanges 3 and the inner surfaces ofthese strips 4 and 5, that is to say, those surfaces forming the wallsof the space defined by the strips, are formed with longitudinal grooves10 which register at their ends so as to extend continuously along thesides and one end of said space.

The strip 6 differs from the strips 4 and 5 in that it is of the samethickness as the backing 8 and has one face flush with the exposed faceof the flange 3 lapping the bead on said strip. retaining strip 11 isadapted to be fastened in any suitable manner on the strip 6 so as toextend longitudinally thereof, the two strips 6 and 11, whenassembled,having the same appearance as any one of the strips 4c and 5.The inner side wall of the strip 11 has a longitudinal groove 12correspon ing with the groove 10 and adapted to register 4 therewith atits ends when all of the parts are assembled.

The inner section of the door is formed of a pan 13 formed preferably ofporcelained metal, the walls of this pan being beveled and provided, attheir free edges, with outturned flanges-14. Fitted within this pan soas to bear snugly against the walls thereof is a frame 15 formedpreferablyv of strips of wood, there being one or more layers ofsuitable insulating material 16 filling this fra-me.

The frame 15 projects out of the pana distance e ual to the distancebetween the plane of the anges 3 and the plane of the grooves 10 and 12.

In assembling this door the stri s 5 and 6 and the backing 8 are placedin t e pan 1 as heretofore explained.' The frame 15 is strips 4. Pan 13and the parts therein are then thrust longitudinally until one of theend flanges 14 becomes seated in the groove in the end strip 5. Shouldthe metal Ban be minutely buckled as a result of the eat to which it hasbeen subjected in the preparation thereof, -the walls of the grooves inthe sides and ends of the door structure would tend to`straighten outthe thin engaged fianges of the pan. After the pan has been fullseatedi-n the manner described, with the rame and the insulation 16bearing on the backing 8, the strip 11 is positioned on the strip 6 withthe adjacent flange 14 seated in the groove 12. Said strip 11 is thenfastened by a suitable adhesive or by brads driven upwardly therethroughinto the bottom of frame 15. `Thus the assembly of theparts will becompleted, the outturned iianges 14 being concealed and both the outerand inner surfaces of the door being left smooth and free of exposedfastening means or projecting portions. `'Ihe strip 11 islocated closeto the bottom edge of the door and if brads are driven upwardlytherethrough they will be invisible ordinarily j when the door is hungfor use.

Importance 1s attached to the fact that the grooved strips 4, 5 and 11serve to straighten out the engaged anges of the pan 13 and supportitwith its walls fitted snugly against the strips, so that there will beno crevices in which foreign matter might accumulate.

What is claimed is: 1. Adoor for refrigerators and the like including ametal pan havin inturned marginal anges, a frame seate in and having itssides and one end portion projecting from the pan, there beingregistering longitudinal grooves in the projecting portions of theframe, a porcelained metal pan having longitudinal flanges along thewalls thereof seated within said grooves, an insulating structureincluding a frame seated in and projecting from` the pan, and a retain'-ing strip separate from and attached to the ot er end portion of thefirst mentionedv frame, said strip having a groove for the reception ofthe adjacent flange of the porcelainedV metal pan.

2. A door for refrigerators and the like including a metal outer pan, aframe seated therein having its sides and one end projectin from the pan, the other end of the frame being flush with the pan, an inner panmovable longitudinally into and out of engagement with opposed portionsof the frame, insulating lnaterial carried by the inner pan, and aretaining strip for engagement with one end of the inner pan andattached to that portion of the frame flush with the pan for holdingsaid pans assembled.

3. A door for refrigerators and the like including an outer pan, a frameassembled therewith having one end flush with one surface of the pan andits other end and sides projecting from the pan, there being acontinuous groove in the projecting portions, an inner porcelained metalpan having outturned fianges upon its walls seated in the grooves, and aretaining iange detachably secured to the flush portion of the frame andgrooved to receive one of the iianges of the inner an.

4. A re rigerator door or thev like including an outer pan, a frameassembled therewith having its sides and one end portion projectingtherefrom and formed with a continuous groove, theother end of the frameterminating short of the plane of the continuous groove, a porcelainedmetal inner pan having anges slidable into the groove to hold said panassembled with the frame, and a retaining strip having a groove forreceiving aportion of the flange of the inner pan, sald strip beingseparate from but .attached to that end of the frame terminatingshortiof the groove.

5. A door for refrigerators or the like including an outer panl havinginturned marginal flanges, a frame seated in the pan and engaging theflanges, said frame having .two sides and one end projecting from thepan, a retainin strip separate from and secured to the ot er end of theframe, ascontinuous groove within the retaining strip and the projectingsides and end of the frame, a porcelained metal inner pan, and outturnedflanges on the walls of said inner pan seated in the grooves, said panbeing slidable into and out of position within the frame when theretaining strip is removed.

6. A door for refrigerators or the like includln an outer pan havinginturned marginal anges, a frame seated in the pan and engagmg theanges, said frame having its sldes and one end projecting from the pan,a backing withinthe pan surrounded by the j frame and flush with theexposed surface of of the frame, an inner porcelained metal the outerpan when the retaining strip is pan having outturned nges on the Walleremoved. thereof seated within the groove, and insu- In testimony that Icla-im the foregoing 10 iating material including a frameseated in as myown, I have hereto affixed my signa- 5 the inner pan and bearing uponthe backture.

ing, said inner pan and insulating material being slidable into and outof the frame in RUDOLPH A. RIEK.

